1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to tubular framework but more particularly to labyrinth or maze made up of interlocking pieces of tubes to create limitless shapes for use in a maze.
2. Background of the Invention
Lifesize mazes have been around for ages and were popular in renaissance Europe as a distraction to royalty. Over the centuries, the concept has evolved and has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. Most structures use wire mesh fence as a basic structure and sometimes add an opaque canvas hung on the fence so as to keep the alleys visibly isolated.
The prior art shows various types of structures to make labyrinths easily dismantleable such as for use in county fairs and such where a temporary structure is desired.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,720 shows an amusement maze located inside of a building. The maze is formed by upright flexible panels which are appropriately arranged in selected longitudinally and laterally extending patterns. The panels are supported by ropes anchored to a single sidewall of the building and are suspended above the floor of the building by wires which extend upwardly to the ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,316 shows a portable self-supporting, compactible armed competition arena which comprises a floor covering having markings which layout a plan for the arena and upon which the arena is assembled. The markings comprise indicia which alpha-numerically or otherwise identify wall and other arena construction parts to be assembled at the marked locations. Wall parts and other arena parts identified by the floor covering markings likewise bear tags comprising identifiers which correlate with the markings such that each identified part has a predefined unique location on the floor covering and in the arena structure. When totally assembled, the arena comprises a unitized structure which withstands wind and body loads. When used out-of-doors, tie-downs provide additional stability against wind load.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,311 shows a collapsible labyrinth constructed with a plurality of collapsible separating boards temporarily secured by vertical pivotal posts, two horizontal bars respectively on and under a line of separating boards to secure upper and lower ends of the pivotal posts, and tenons fitting in a mortise in a lower end of each separating board and also in one of tenon holes preset in the ground for securing temporatily each separating board so that the boards can be altered in position to make up a labyrinth route.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,501 shows a maze including a plurality of posts, a plurality of stretching members for inserting into longitudinal slots on the posts to reinforce the structural strength of the posts, a plurality of coupling members end matched between either two posts, and a plurality of partition members for connection horizontally between either two posts to define a network of intricate passages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,659 shows an apparatus comprising a maze game that can be used indoors or outdoors and which has vertical poles and horizontal poles that interconnect together to make up the frame of the maze apparatus. The panels are made of fabrics and are readily attached and detached from the horizontal poles such that the panels hang downwardly from the horizontal poles to establish the various isolated pathways through the maze.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,462 shows a maze structure having plural levels, each with a floor and upstanding walls arranged in a maze-like pattern and dividing each level into a plurality of separate chambers. Openings are located in the top and bottom sides of the levels for communication of the chambers of one level with chambers of adjacent levels when the levels are stacked. Having the chambers of adjacent levels being arranged to communicate with one another regardless of the relative orientation of the levels permits any one level to be rotated about a vertical axis in relation to the other levels as well as permitting a plurality of different stacking orders to produce numerous different combinations and different solutions to the maze structure.
The prior art suffers from certain drawbacks such as the fragility of the structure which has weak ground anchoring, “soft” wall which can be lifted as easily as one lifts a curtain or else, over elaborate structure mechanisms which make it hard to assemble or disassemble.